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viewing 1 To 11 of 11 items
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LP
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CRZR 1008LP
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"In 1973, EMI Records Nigeria released the 45 rpm disc 'Fuel for Love' b/w 'Soundway,' credited to a mysterious band called Wrinkar Experience. The record was a finely-crafted gem of pop-rock and funky soul as had never before been heard coming out of the country's nascent rock scene, and it ended up being the biggest selling Nigerian single up until that point. The success of Wrinkar Experience effectively demonstrated that was a market for homegrown pop and rock, and sent record labels scrambling to sign similar bands, kicking off the Nigerian rock revolution that is still being celebrated and discovered by new generations today. But while Wrinkar Experience launched the movement, the group itself would be short-lived: after another hit single in 1973, the band's frontman Danie Ian split for a solo career. The remaining principal players in the group -- Cameroonian musicians Ginger Forcha and Edjo'o Jacques Racine -- tried to keep the Wrinkar name going before giving it up and rebranding themselves as Rock Town Express. Rock Town Express's debut LP Funky Makossa was recorded in 1974 for ARC Records, the cutting-edge studio and label established in Lagos by English drum legend Ginger Baker. The album showcased in long format the qualities that had only been hinted at on the Wrinkar Experience singles: bright, confident pop melodies, articulate lyrics, and darkly potent funk-rock. Comb & Razor Sound is proud to present a new, fully-authorized reissue of Funky Makossa, featuring the seven tracks from the original release, plus 'I Am A Natural Man' and 'I Don't Want To Know,' from Wrinkar Experience's seldom-heard third and final single."
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LP
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CRZR 1006LP
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"The 1970s in Nigeria were an age when mighty bands walked the earth. In Lagos, Afro-rock stalwarts such as BLO and Monomono ruled the roost; eastwards, it was deeply funky groups like The Funkees, The Apostles and The Friimen. Up north you had soulful ensembles such as The Elcados and The Moonrakers. And in the southeast, you had Foundars 15. Foundars 15 were not the only rock band operating in the southern city of Port Harcourt, but they were without question the tightest and most eclectic not just in Port Harcourt but perhaps in Nigeria as a whole. Formed initially as an army band in the wake of the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970, Foundars 15 released a string of singles in the early seventies, followed by four albums of heavy, jittery funk-rock between 1976 and 1978 before splitting up to pursue solo careers. 1977's Fire Woman is perhaps the finest (and rarest) of Foundars 15's albums, offering a spicy buffet of groovy pop, reggae, native rock and dense, off-kilter funk. Long sought after by aficionados, Fire Woman has been an LP that is more often heard about than actually heard. That is about to change. Comb & Razor Sound is proud to present a new, fully-authorized reissue of Fire Woman, featuring eight crucial cuts representing the gold standard of the golden age of Nigerian pop music. Here's your chance to catch the fire!"
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LP
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CRZR 1003LP
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LP version; 2nd pressing w/o 7". "In the early years of Fela Kuti's career, well before he would define the genre of Afro-beat, and leave an indelible mark on the musical landscape, he was a struggling trumpet player, seeking to redefine the sound of his current group, the art-jazz ensemble Fela Ransome-Kuti Quintet. As he moved his group towards the then-popular genre of highlife in 1963, he lost his bassist in the move towards commercial success, but gained the company of Ojo Okeji, who had a sterling reputation both as a bassist and percussionist in groups like Lagos Cool Cats, Rex Williams' Nigerian Artistes, and Western Toppers Highlife Band, a favorite of Kuti's. Okeji impressed Kuti with his deft jazziness on the bass, so he was in on the spot, and the Fela Ransome-Kuti Quintet became Koola Lobitos. It was Okeji that introduced Kuti to the famed percussionist Tony Allen, (Who would subsequently join Kuti into his greatest years as an artist) as well as conguero Abayomi 'Easy' Adio. During his time in Koola Lobitos, Okeji not only contributed deeply melodic, and adeptly rhythmic baselines, but brought his own influence from emerging US soul artists like James Brown & The Famous Flames and Wilson Pickett, heavily pushing Koola Lobitos towards a more soulful direction. This push was often resisted by Kuti, who frequently clashed with Okeji. 1968 proved to be a turning point for the group, as the Nigerian Civil War broke out, and many starving musicians turned to the military for work. Okeji and Adio would leave for the army, while Kuti and Allen kept Koola Lobitos going, where it evolved through different names and iterations and grew into the worldwide Afro-beat force that made Kuti an icon during the '70s and '80s. But as Kuti and Allen rose to global recognition, Okeji and Adio would form a new band within the ranks of the 6th Infantry Brigade of the Nigerian Army. Their emblazoned blue jackets earned them the nickname 'The Blues', but Okeji preferred the name 'Shango' after the Yoruba thunder god. Shango took the fundamentals of Kuti's famous Afro-beat and brought new layers of guitar and horn arrangements, while often invoking supernatural aesthetics, and maintaining a love for the US soul artists that influenced Okeji so much. Because Shango was an army band however, their records were not readily available to anyone outside of the military so their music, including their eponymous 1974 LP, remained relatively unknown even amongst the people of Nigeria. Decades later Comb & Razor is thrilled to present this long-lost Nigerian gem for the first time to a world-wide audience."
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2LP
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CRZR 1005LP
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RSD 2017 release. "Country music is big in Africa. Yes, we realize how absurd that probably sounds to most ears, but it's really true: American country & western records have been tremendously popular and deeply beloved across the continent for almost a century. The people of the West African nation of Nigeria have long been not only voracious consumers of country music, but fairly enthusiastic performers of it as well. Cowboy songs have remained a consistent part of most bands' live repertoire, but relatively few artists have dedicated themselves to actually recording country music. They did exist, though; mostly in the1970s and 80s, but they were rarely heard outside the country, and in the intervening years, most of their output has fallen through the cracks of posterity, forgotten even by ardent music fans at home. Until now. Like Nashville In Naija: Nigeria's Romance With Country Music, Yesterday And Today collects some of the best country recordings as a loving tribute to Nigeria's cowboy troubadours of yore."
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CD
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CRZR 1004CD
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"When most people think about Nigerian music, the first thing that comes to mind is Lagos -- the country's main commercial center, the glittering mega-city that spawned Yoruba-speaking music luminaries such as Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Sir Shina Peters and Wizkid. But Nigeria is a country of rich diversity, especially in its music: From the Igbo highlife and rock bands of east-central region, to the deep Edo roots rhythms from the mid-west, to the keening, ornamented Fulani melodies of the north. But one region whose music has remained largely under-explored is the south eastern land of the Efik and Ibibio ethnic groups in Cross River and Akwa Ibom State -- the region colloquially referred to as 'Calabar.' A cradle of culture, this region was one of the earliest outposts of Nigerian popular music. Its primordial rhythms traveled across the Atlantic during the slave trade to provide the part of the foundation for Afro-Cuban grooves that would go on to influence the development of jazz, rock & roll, R&B and funk. With the new Calabar-Itu Road compilation, Comb & Razor Sound presents 15 heavy tracks recorded in the decade between 1972 and 1982, spotlighting rare music from 'Calabar' superstars such as Etubom Rex Williams, Cross River Nationale, Charles 'Effi' Duke, The Doves and Mary Afi Usuah. The package features a magazine-style booklet containing a wealth of information about the milieu with rare photographs and illustrations. The Calabar-Itu Road is the major artery linking modern-day Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. And Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds From South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) will link the region's music to the rest of the world!"
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2LP
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CRZR 1004LP
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Repressed, originally released for RSD 2016. "Housed in a hand silk-screened jacket from Antidesigns. When most people think about Nigerian music, the first thing that comes to mind is Lagos -- the country's main commercial center, the glittering mega-city that spawned Yoruba-speaking music luminaries such as Fela Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Sir Shina Peters and Wizkid. But Nigeria is a country of rich diversity, especially in its music: From the Igbo high-life and rock bands of east-central region, to the deep Edo roots rhythms from the mid-west, to the keening, ornamented Fulani melodies of the north. But one region whose music has remained largely under-explored is the south eastern land of the Efik and Ibibio ethnic groups in Cross River and Akwa Ibom State -- the region colloquially referred to as 'Calabar.' A cradle of culture, this region was one of the earliest outposts of Nigerian popular music. Its primordial rhythms traveled across the Atlantic during the slave trade to provide the part of the foundation for Afro-Cuban grooves that would go on to influence the development of jazz, rock & roll, R&B and funk. With the new Calabar-Itu Road compilation, Comb & Razor Sound presents 15 heavy tracks recorded in the decade between 1972 and 1982, spotlighting rare music from 'Calabar' superstars such as Etubom Rex Williams, Cross River Nationale, Charles 'Effi' Duke, The Doves and Mary Afi Usuah. The package features a magazine-style booklet containing a wealth of information about the milieu with rare photographs and illustrations. The Calabar-Itu Road is the major artery linking modern-day Cross River and Akwa Ibom States. And Calabar-Itu Road: Groovy Sounds From South Eastern Nigeria (1972-1982) will link the region's music to the rest of the world!"
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CD
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CRZR 1003CD
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"In the early years of Fela Kuti's career, well before he would define the genre of Afro-beat, and leave an indelible mark on the musical landscape, he was a struggling trumpet player, seeking to redefine the sound of his current group, the art-jazz ensemble Fela Ransome-Kuti Quintet. As he moved his group towards the then-popular genre of highlife in 1963, he lost his bassist in the move towards commercial success, but gained the company of Ojo Okeji, who had a sterling reputation both as a bassist and percussionist in groups like Lagos Cool Cats, Rex Williams' Nigerian Artistes, and Western Toppers Highlife Band, a favorite of Kuti's. Okeji impressed Kuti with his deft jazziness on the bass, so he was in on the spot, and the Fela Ransome-Kuti Quintet became Koola Lobitos. It was Okeji that introduced Kuti to the famed percussionist Tony Allen, (Who would subsequently join Kuti into his greatest years as an artist) as well as conguero Abayomi 'Easy' Adio. During his time in Koola Lobitos, Okeji not only contributed deeply melodic, and adeptly rhythmic baselines, but brought his own influence from emerging US soul artists like James Brown & The Famous Flames and Wilson Pickett, heavily pushing Koola Lobitos towards a more soulful direction. This push was often resisted by Kuti, who frequently clashed with Okeji. 1968 proved to be a turning point for the group, as the Nigerian Civil War broke out, and many starving musicians turned to the military for work. Okeji and Adio would leave for the army, while Kuti and Allen kept Koola Lobitos going, where it evolved through different names and iterations and grew into the worldwide Afro-beat force that made Kuti an icon during the '70s and '80s. But as Kuti and Allen rose to global recognition, Okeji and Adio would form a new band within the ranks of the 6th Infantry Brigade of the Nigerian Army. Their emblazoned blue jackets earned them the nickname 'The Blues', but Okeji preferred the name 'Shango' after the Yoruba thunder god. Shango took the fundamentals of Kuti's famous Afro-beat and brought new layers of guitar and horn arrangements, while often invoking supernatural aesthetics, and maintaining a love for the US soul artists that influenced Okeji so much. Because Shango was an army band however, their records were not readily available to anyone outside of the military so their music, including their eponymous 1974 LP, remained relatively unknown even amongst the people of Nigeria. Decades later Comb & Razor is thrilled to present this long-lost Nigerian gem for the first time to a world-wide audience."
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2CD
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CRZR 1002CD
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"The long-lost masterpiece of Afro-rock n' roll. Reissued for the first time on two compact discs. Ndia Egbuo Ndia (Afro-Jigida), recorded by the Nigerian rock group Semi Colon in 1976, was an experimental response to Fela Kuti's then-dominant afrobeat sound, substituting Fela's sophisticated horn charts and jazz leanings with wiry electric guitar work and a passion for vintage rock 'n' roll. Long fabled and coveted amongst collectors and DJs alike, the album has remained one of the rarest of the Nigerian 1970s 'afro' cycle. Comb & Razor Sound is proud to be reissuing this lost gem of Afro-rock for a new audience. The original LP reissue was the second release from Comb & Razor Sound, following up the success of its inaugural offering, 2011's Nigerian disco and boogie compilation Brand New Wayo, which was spotlighted on NPR's All Things Considered and received favorable mention on its 'Song of the Day.' This new edition of Afro-Jigida continues Comb & Razor's exploration of rare, cutting-edge popular music produced in Nigeria in the 1970s and '80s, now for the first time on compact disc, bundled in a deluxe book with assorted photos, liner notes, and lyrical translations."
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LP + 7"
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CRZR 1002LP
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2022 restock. "Ndia Egbuo Ndia (Afro-Jigida), an LP recorded by the Nigerian rock group Semi-Colon in 1976, was an experimental response to Fela Kuti's then-dominant afro-beat sound, substituting Fela's sophisticated horn charts and jazz leanings with wiry electric guitar work and a passion for vintage rock 'n' roll. Long fabled and coveted amongst collectors and DJs alike, the album has remained one of the rarest of the Nigerian 1970s 'afro' cycle. Comb & Razor Sound is proud to be reissuing this lost gem of afro-rock for a new audience. This reissue marks the second release from Comb & Razor Sound, following up the success of its inaugural offering, 2011's Nigerian disco and boogie compilation Brand New Wayo, which was spotlighted on NPR's All Things Considered and received favorable mention on its Song of the Day. The new edition of Afro-Jigida continues Comb & Razor's exploration of rare, cutting-edge popular music produced in Nigeria in the 1970s and 80s. As a bonus, the first 1000 copies pressed of the album will include a 7-inch single featuring the never-before-released demo recording 'Our Fada.'"
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CD/BOOK
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CRZR 1001CD
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Subtitled: Funk, Fast Times and Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979-1983. "With this release, Comb & Razor Sound launches its exploration of the colorful world of popular music from Nigeria, starting with the post-disco era of the late 1970s and early 80s. The years between 1979 and 1983 were Nigeria's Second Republic, when democracy finally returned after twenty-three years of uninterrupted military dictatorship. They were also the crest of Nigeria's oil boom, when surging oil prices made the petroleum-producing country a land of plenty, prosperity and profligacy. The influx of petrodollars meant an expansion in industry and the music industry in particular. Record companies upgraded their technology and cranked out a staggering volume of output to an audience hungry for music to celebrate the country's prospective rise as global power of the future. While it was a boom time for a wide variety of popular music styles, the predominant commercial sound was a post-afrobeat, slickly modern dance groove that retrofitted the relentless four-on-thefloor bass beat of disco to a more laidback, upbeat-and-downbeat soul shuffle, mixing in jazz-funk, synthesizer pop and afro feeling. At the time, it was still mostly locally referred to as 'disco' but has since been recognized as its own unique genre retrospectively dubbed 'Nigerian boogie.' A Brand New Wayo: Funk, Fast Times and Nigerian Boogie Badness collects 15 pulsing Nigerian boogie tracks in a lovingly compiled package, featuring over 80 pages of rigorously researched liner notes and photographs chronicling one of the most progressive and creative eras in the history of African popular music." CD packaged in a mini-LP cardboard sleeve with an enormous book, all housed in an impressive outerbox.
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2LP
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CRZR 1001LP
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2016 repress. Subtitled: Funk, Fast Times and Nigerian Boogie Badness 1979-1983. "With this release, Comb & Razor Sound launches its exploration of the colorful world of popular music from Nigeria, starting with the post-disco era of the late 1970s and early 80s. The years between 1979 and 1983 were Nigeria's Second Republic, when democracy finally returned after twenty-three years of uninterrupted military dictatorship. They were also the crest of Nigeria's oil boom, when surging oil prices made the petroleum-producing country a land of plenty, prosperity and profligacy. The influx of petrodollars meant an expansion in industry and the music industry in particular. Record companies upgraded their technology and cranked out a staggering volume of output to an audience hungry for music to celebrate the country's prospective rise as global power of the future. While it was a boom time for a wide variety of popular music styles, the predominant commercial sound was a post-afro beat, slickly modern dance groove that retrofitted the relentless four-on-thefloor bass beat of disco to a more laidback, upbeat-and-downbeat soul shuffle, mixing in jazz-funk, synthesizer pop and afro feeling. At the time, it was still mostly locally referred to as 'disco,' but has since been recognized as its own unique genre retrospectively dubbed 'Nigerian boogie.' A Brand New Wayo: Funk, Fast Times and Nigerian Boogie Badness collects 15 pulsing Nigerian boogie tracks in a lovingly compiled package chronicling one of the most progressive and creative eras in the history of African popular music." Gatefold sleeve.
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